The Elusive Bobcat

Shelby finally did it! He caught his first bobcat! This has been many hours in the making. He's spent many freezing mornings out checking traps and setting them, but finally caught his first one! Apparently it's a really slow year for bobcats this year- or so we've heard from other trappers. Shelby says that this one isn't really big, but the kids and I thought it was huge! Shelby brought it back to the house at 6:00 the other morning and everyone had to get out of bed to see it. Wyatt may have been more excited to see Daddy's "big mean kitty" that he caught than he was for Christmas- it's a toss-up. He kept saying 'Dad- that's soooooo AWESOME! We're so proud of Daddy- huh Mommy?' We had to take prompt pictures while freezing on the front porch- I'm pretty sure Daddy was excited too. I don't know why this pic won't turn. Oh well.

Too hilarious not to share....

Santa brought the above great present to Wyatt and Livvy in their stockings to help liven up bath time. They are cool little tablets that you drop in the bath water to change the color. You can add multiple colors and experiment- they're so fun. The other night I was playing in our City League Volleyball Game and Shelby was watching the kids. Or semi-watching you could say :) He told the kids to take off their clothes and get ready for their baths. Wyatt came back to him a few minutes later with the above container, but missing the lid and asked "Daddy can we have some of these?" Shelby says sure and (thinking that they were candy or vitamins) pops one in his own mouth first AND chews. He immediately starts to gag and choke and cough. He runs to the sink and starts washing his mouth out with water and spitting to get the pieces out, but they are stuck in his teeth and the taste is HORRIBLE. Wyatt and Livvy meanwhile are gathered around the sink yelling 'Daddy- your spit is yellow! Why is your spit yellow? That's disgusting!' at the top of their lungs. The great part is that it took him three days to get over his humiliation at trying to eat the bath tablets to tell me. At which point I nearly peed my pants laughing.

Wyatt's Quarterly Report Card

Wyatt's teacher sent home his quarterly report card today with all of the things is he is doing well and those few that he is still struggling with. Here's the update:

Great things:

1)Wyatt has lots of friends that love to pretend with him.
2) His teacher called him adorable and fun.
3) He is very inquisitive. Able to carry on a meaningful conversation for several exchanges.
4) He listens to a message and then gives thoughtful answers.
5) He is able to read his name from a list of his peers (Hooray-we've been working hard on that!)
6) He is able to rote count to 10 (Double Hooray!)
7) He knows and can label all of his colors.
8) He knows all of his shapes but does struggle recognizing the difference between square and rectangle (who doesn't?)
9) And finally......Wyatt is able to recite his ABC's! THIS IS HUGE FOR HIM!

Not so great things:

1)Wyatt needs redirection because he often is easily distracted by his own interests (tell me about it!)
2) He transitions slowly from one activity to another.
3)He is still struggling with fine motor skills and struggles to trace the first letter of his name (W).
4) He needs hand over hand support while cutting.

Overall a pretty great report card! We're continuing to work hard on his fine motor skills at home as well as at school, but I was so thrilled to get such great news that I immediately hit my knees with tears running down my cheeks and thanked my Heavenly Father for blessing my little boy to progress. For blessing him with wonderful teachers and friends that love him and motivate him to learn. For blessing me to be able to help him even when I'm stumped, frustrated, and don't know what else to try. My little guy is progressing and learning so much- I can't help but be immensely grateful.

Random Post

I was in a random mood tonight. Here's what I'm thinking:

This is my new favorite thing that I received from one of my favorite people for Christmas (Thanks Bird!) It's a ballerina dress that you use to hang bows. SO CUTE! I just love to look at it. It's probably cuter without being jam packed with bows, but Livvy just has too many. Just some cute pics of my snuggly kiddos before bed tonight.

For Christmas we gave Grandma Wendy a webcam to use so she could talk to the kids and they could see each other. We finally got the kinks worked out tonight and even with a bad connection the kids still loved talking to her. My favorite quotes from the nights were:

Wyatt: 'Hey Grandma- Are you in Utah?'

Wyatt: 'Hey Grandma- Can I climb into the computer to you?'

Livvy: 'I SEE PAPA JON!!!!!'

Bread makin Lady

I bought a similar model to the above pictured bread maker at the DI last week for $12! I have always wanted a bread machine, but I found this one- BRAND NEW! I am pretty excited to try it out. If you have tips for using a bread maker or recipes that you really like- pass it on my way!

Hard at Work

Just before bedtime Wyatt and Livvy having some last minute fun pretending. I just love Livvy's fat cheeks being smashed by the goggles.

One Tree Hill marathon

So yesterday was quite a slow Sunday. After we got home from church and put the kids down for a nap, we normally snuggle up to watch a movie. But there was nothing on and we'd watched all of our movies a million times. Hailey had recently let me borrow Season 4 of One Tree Hill and I talked Shelby into watching a few episodes with me to pass the time. HAH- Fast forward to MIDNIGHT- We've watched three DVD's worth of One Tree Hill with a short break for dinner at my moms and to put the kids to bed. Shelby kept saying 'Oh crap- now we have to watch another episode of this stupid show to see what's going to happen!' Don't let him fool you folks- Shelby had a One Tree Hill marathon with me yesterday- AND HE LIKED IT!

New Years Fun

New Years was filled with fun. My parents bought my kids a trampoline with enclosure for Christmas. They were so excited that they could hardly stand it. So Shelby thought it would be a great idea to put it up in my living room- "We have plenty of room and tall enough ceilings. Plus your kids would always remember this and would say that you were the coolest mom ever." This logic led to a giant trampoline in my living room. My kids love it- so I love it- but I'm not sure for how loooonnng I will love it.

I still have room for a somewhat scrunched living room on the other side.



On New Years Eve we had some friends and family over for a 'Trampoline party'. The kids went wild jumping all night and playing games while the adults ate good food and hung out. When they got sleepy we made a pillow pile and they all laid out to watch 'Peter Pan'. We didn't make it to midnight- just 11:00.

Then on New Years Day we headed up sledding on the butte behind Gooding with the Gillettes. The kids had a blast. We had several crashes and one major scare with Wyatt having a head-on collision that ended in him to a full air cart-wheel, but everyone was okay and the fun resumed. Here is one of many trips back up the hill:
The little kids later got on the large tube and were pulled all over. Livvy laughed and giggled the entire time. She was squished right in the middle of all the boys and loved every minute of it.

All the boys are getting ready to race down the hill- the big boys I mean :)
Shelby picked the wrong trail and seconds later he looked like this:

HILARIOUS! It was a great holiday with family and friends. We feel so blessed to have gotten to know so many fun and great people here again.

Bowling

After our ward Christmas party, some of my family decided to go bowling. We used to bowl off and on in Tremonton, but Livvy had never been old enough to do it before. She absolutely loved it. She would continually say- 'Is it my turn? Is it my turn?' Then when it WAS her turn she would make sure that everyone knew - 'IT'S MY TURN! IT'S MY TURN!' So excited- she was so dang cute. She'd run every time after she rolled the ball and hug Grandma and tell her how many she had knocked over.

Wyatt- having bowled before- was obviously an expert. He would let his dad help a little, but he really wanted to do it just like all the rest of us and BY HIMSELF! It was such a fun night and full of laughs at our wild and crazy kiddies.

Christmas Morning

Christmas this year was spent in Tremonton with Shelby's family. We had so much fun. Here is Wyatt showing off his pirate dress- up gear.

Livvy loved her water baby. It really does feel real.

However, her favorite thing that Santa brought her was her dress-up trunk. It came complete with three dresses and I added shoes, crowns, and jewelry to the mix. She would put it on every morning and only take it off for naps and then back on it would go!

She even forced her daddy to dress up like a princess AND her Uncle Steven. She even painted Steven's fingernails- this is a small miracle if you know these big tough guys. Little Livvy can make the men in her life do whatever she wants.
Wyatt was so thrilled to get the tool box and Nerf gun that he asked Santa for. Grandma Wendy also gave him a chainsaw- so he's set for helping his Dad. Don't you just love the goggles that came with the tool set- Safety first :)

A few hours after all of these pictures were taken and the kids were nestled back in their beds for a nap, the power went off. We had been dumped on by the snow on Christmas Day and it knocked the power off for most of the day and early evening. We had ham and potatoes all prepared to go into the oven and WHAM- no power! So Grandpa Jon browned some hamburger in the trailer and we 4-wheel-drived it a few miles up the road to Aunt Holly's house for tacos and games in the dark. The power did come back on as soon as we were finished eating- OF COURSE! But it sure made for a fun and memorable- Old Fashioned Christmas. We stayed in UT for the rest of the week. It was so fun to see the Beck Family at the Christmas Party- Here my cuzs that are all right close to my age are rocking out to Rock Band. I'd never played before, but now these crazy girls have got me hooked. Beck Family Girl Band- goin on tour Summer 2009! I loved seeing all of my friends and family from Tremonton. We missed you all so much and it was great to spend time with you again. We also got to see Justin and Amy Nessen who were in town for the holidays from Texas- we went on an anniversary date to the Mexican restaurant with them. We were all married a week apart back when Shelby and Justin were roommates and Amy and I were roommies as well. Good old days!